Every Wednesday I am free from work (having decided to work less and having dropped all my side projects) and a few days ago I decided that I will not only rest on this day, but that this will be my 'Growth Day'. I am not happy with how a lot of my past went and with the trajectory I was on, and I am changing that now. It's a tough process, but I take it on voluntarily and I am ready to do the hard work that is necessary to change.

I was overworked for a while, though the core of the issue was that I did not see any meaning in my life anymore (because what held me together - doing way too many things and trying to be successful (while not taking good care of myself and not being honest to myself and, in effect, others), collapsed and I do not wish to return to that) and that drained my energy, but I am getting more energy right now as I am regaining my focus, so I do not need a whole day of rest. I do want to enjoy life, and so I will do some fun things today as well (that is one of the things that I learned), but I also want to keep investing in a good future.

I have worked less for more than a year now because like you I had a melt down from overwork when I tried so hard to do everything but despite that I just failed and got bad self esteem in the process.
Now I work less but complete my goal of working 5 hours everyday five times a week and it has helped tremedously for my daily life. I now have the energy neccessacry to take proper care of myself with good food and tasks.

Like you I started to think of how to finally motivate myself to do some physical training and hopefully solve my sleeping problem.
I now have sucefully walked to and back from work two weeks (its about 10-11km per day)

I said to myself like you I had extra time that other people don't have.
And decided that instead of just sleeping more or relaxing I take some of the extra time I have and use it for walking and don't consider it "today I might be good and walk" and instead just do it as a part of my routine.

This way it's not a loss of time I might have to do other things I just get the privilage of walking out in the sun instead of working.

My today to do list:

-Go to work (Walking of course)
-Continue working with my knife project (wood working with the knife handle, its a very beatifull kitchen knife that I hopefully will use for a long future)
-Spend time with my partner at evening.
-Listen to audiobook
-Actually try and NOT look at a bright screen in the evening. I will read a physical book even if it's just one chapter instead.

@shadowrift - interesting to read that we have gone through similar circumstances, responded likewise and learnt the same lessons!

Great routine! Great that you spend time on what you find important. Time with your partner, hobbies, relaxing. All very good. I love walking as well, both for the body and the mind!

Quote:

I said to myself like you I had extra time that other people don't have.
And decided that instead of just sleeping more or relaxing I take some of the extra time I have and use it for walking and don't consider it "today I might be good and walk" and instead just do it as a part of my routine.

Yeah, it's very nice to have this extra time! I try to find enjoyment in my work again, and who knows, I may (or may not, it's all ok) work a bit more when I have found it, but until that point I feel good that I don't waste time on doing things I don't like to pursue some external goal that I am not sure is meaningful to me.

Because of this extra time, I am able to grow as a person:
- I have organized my home completely for longer than ever in my life. This has been a goal for me for more than 20 years.
- I am more in touch with my emotions.
- I have time to work through issues in my past (by myself, and with a therapist)
- I read quite a lot
- I am able to deal with almost all responsibilities in my life. I barely have tasks that are chasing me in my head. It's been 15 years since I was able to say that!
- I don't feel all the time that I have to do stuff
- I exercise a lot as well
- I have structure in my week

I am still a work in progress, but I am able to actually make steady progress now. It's nice what taking a step back can do, it's freeing!